Nirad C. Chaudhuri: The last Englishman after decolonized India

Nirad's Anglo-phile trait was predominant over a feature of his character.  This comes as a legacy of Renaiss-ance that takes place in eighteenth century in India.  Indian renaissance is a revolution against her thousand years old social customs that is mostly as old as her scripture.

It is sometimes believed that Indian Renaissance comes by the time following a big social revolution by Raja Rammohan Roy and his compatriots including Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore. Bankim Chandra Chaterjee a very famous Bangali novelist and civil administrator of British-India brought cultural resurgence of Bengal through his writings. It is undeniable that occidental influence in literature and culture becomes the heart of eighteenth and nineteenth century Bengal.

A movement of liberalism takes place all over the region but the fact changes in short when a new religious dimension, neo-Hinduism appears in front as a protest against British and European culture lead by Mahatma Gandhi and his Swadeshi andolon.(movement by own people). To be sure, the core of the movement was solely directed to the anti-British commitment. Some historians claim it to be the revival of Aryavarta that signifies only the land of Aryans where there was a synthesis with Dravidians long before the Aryan settlements. 

Accordingly, as a consequence of fact, they conclude that the clash between east and west will be finally shaped as resurgence of old Aryan culture. Nirad claims it to be different. His opinion was something new which he claims in 1925. As soon as the British rule ends, he claims, people of India will obviously be attracted by the western culture and humanism. Interestingly, Nirad hinted a new version of Indian culture as a synthesis of westernization following British rule.

I think that Nirad's anticipation doesn't come to be untrue where we find huge number of anti-British intelligentsia make their queue for Oxford or Cambridge education. Besides, people from those learning seats take their pride for Bilat Ferat (England Returned). A satirical Bengali silent feature film Bilet Pherat was made by N C Lahiri in 1921 became a great hit. It shows, how the Indians came from British education feel proud accepting pro-western culture and etiquette. It seems to be difficult to accept a common fashion of post-British rule to stand against their culture and life. This happens also in modern Bangladesh.

Undeniably, Nirad's pro-British engagements had two destinations; one is to get rid of personal penury and to find a way of cultural confidence. These two factors weren't reciprocally intertwined because the cultural aspect is more influential than the prior factor. And, Nirad appears to be a dystopian because of his preoccupation with English mind. Before independence Indian people were in a dilemma as they don't make the mind to accept rationalism, logic, scientific ideals, values, and commitment to the humanity. Some were very reluctant to accept the new form of life.

Let us see some basic traits of Mr. Chaudhury that shapes his whole life:  in a reprisal to the Indians he hesitates nothing to declare him an Englishman not by born in practical sense but in a sense of psychology and also by partial nationality. As a result, the pride and prejudice of Englishman comes obviously to him and which he feels that in heart. Surprisingly, even he criticizes the knowledge of English people in modern time. He writes, 'it is made manifest by the careless and penurious use of language even by educated Englishmen.

So, wherever there is any decline of correctness, precision, adequacy and elegance in the use of a language there is bound to be matching decline in the power of the mind.'   His criticism to English life is unlike to that of his countrymen because he believes that his native had no courage to do so who are coming to Oxford and Cambridge for professional excellence. Nirad Chaudhury chides the chauvinists in India as a hollow marker because the patriot of India give birth a fashion of an anti-Britain's.

Chaudhury laments at the poor behavior of his countryman for their skewed eye at him. He writes about unprecedented accolades and generosity to him from many in west  including a famous professor of Cambridge, Edward Schils. Edward Schlics writes, in "American Scholar", "Mr. Chaudhuri's being an Indian and a Bengali, and a European and Englishman, all at the time same for the likes of him. Perhaps the old designation of "citizen of the world" is the only available… Mr. Chaudhuri is the real thing."  

It is very rare in history to think about a historian writes for his whole time without diminishing courage and agility. It is also very sparse in the literary kingdom to find a man of quite unrepentant what Mr. Chaudhuri does in his life time.  Andrew Robinson a commentator of Independent  writes in his obituary note in 1999:

Throughout his immensely long life, which began in Bengal in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, the physically diminutive Chaudhuri was fiercely independent of received opinion; his energy, analytical power and impatience with cant were the antithesis of the oriental stereotypes he confronted in his dozen or so books in English and Bengali.

Cultural synthesis
None of Indians would deny the fact that Indian culture and sense of humanity came from the west and with the synthesis of eastern influence a new life started to continue. Rabindranath Tagore in an avowal writes three components--ancient Sanskrit culture, Mogul Muslim life and European humanism gives shape his life. Tagore was not an anglophile Bangalee of course however he didn't have any hesitation to acknowledge occidental influence on our cultural life and economic shape. With regard to cultural synthesis, Rabinranath never disavows the good elements of European life  particularly the sense of secularism and humanity. 

Nirad defended the very position and enjoyed the life in a jovial manner. He writes, 'that life was created by the impact of the English language and English literature on us in India in the nineteenth century'.  Chaudhuri very assertively makes his position clear and believes that English literature and language too remakes the growing stages of culture. India in nineteenth century emerges as a new hub of culture which is known to us as the modern Indian culture as Nirad says it 'the greatest achievement of British rule in India.'

Nirad Chaudhuri: An inborn imperialist
Nirad Chaudhuri is a diehard imperialist and a dedicated colonialist. He feels no hesitation to claim his socio-political status as a brute imperialist. He defines imperialism in a very convulsive way. And he means the terms in a real sense so that meaning of imperialism is ascribed to the nature of human being. How imperialistic convulsion sways human nature, Nirad explains from the historical perspective. He explains the psychological trend of human mind which is absolutely non-diminutive.

To defend his position Nirad makes some comments on imperialism. He reasoned that he is an imperialist because firstly he is a man and of course is a gentle man. Man in general, according to him, is an imperialist.  No doubt, people in the world possess the very trend without exception.  In the history of Rome and Greek and also India Nirad shows how do the people of the world confer subject hood on the weak and Briton of course was no exception in history. He sees no wrong with the British usurpation in India and perhaps enjoys most.        

  
Nirad Chaudhuri writes some books in his native language that also sparks upper-level Indians like his previous books.  His first book Bengali Jibone Ramani published in 1968 followed by some others including Atmoghati Rabindranath and Atmoghati Bangali.  Amar Debottor Sampotti a Bengali version of his autobiography is published in 1994.

Chaudhuri's philosophical view was much closer to pantheistic. In spite of his career long association with western life he couldn't forget the Indian life and tradition. There was a simple paradox in his whole journey. He remembers his village life time and again; he recollects his vivid memories left a century ago in Bengal even living in a comfortable life at Oxford.  It obviously proves a dual character in him. He never quits dhuti and panjabi as his daily wear. His simple agreement in an essay titled "What I Believe" published in the Independent on Sunday makes it clear to understand his position. He writes, 'my faith might be called impersonal pantheism'.  .  Nirad C Chaudhuri thus is appeared to us a babu and Briton at the same moment. He boastfully expresses his intolerable hubris to be both Indian and English man.        

Conclusion
Ian Jack a Scottish journalist and an editor of Independent on Sunday writes a memory with Nirad Chaudhuri after a sweet meeting, "Once he told me at his Oxford flat: 'I am what I am on account of British rule in India. And, have I shown myself to be worthless? My kind of human being was created. Doesn't they the nobility of the project'?"

Very lastly, further, I shall add a quip of Nirad made with Jack in a light moment at his flat that may help us to understand his position We were having lunch-roast beef prepared by his Bengali wife, Amiya. The Chaudhuris were far from rich, but a splendid effort had been made. Different glasses for the red and white wine, for the water, for the cognac. I gripped one of them by the bowl. A small Bengali hand, created far away in Kishorganj in 1897, reached across the table and slapped me on the wrist. Chaudhuri scowled. "Don't you know that one always grips a hock glass by the stem? What a nation of illiterate and unmannerly creatures Britain has become."
(Concluded)



The writer is Professor and Chairman of Department of Philosophy,  Jagannath University, Dhaka